COVID-19:How to prepare your animal clinic today for emerging stronger post-pandemic

2COVID-19: How to prepare your animal clinic today for emerging stronger post-pandemic

As states across the U.S. start to gradually lift shelter-in-place orders, many businesses are being challenged with reopening despite uncertainties surrounding the future of COVID-19. Through this uncertainty, however, there are some actions you can take today to adapt to this new normal and emerge even stronger when it’s time to reopen and fully restore operations.

Generate revenue during the shutdownAdapting your animal clinic to COVID-19 presents an opportunity and a need to build on your existing competencies and expand your offerings. That said, this new era requires animal clinics to implement more agile operations, mobility, additional revenue streams and digital strategies.

Launch your Telemedicine practice today

Telemedicine enables animal clinics to evaluate, diagnose and treat animal patients using HIPAA-compliant telecommunications technology. With Telemedicine, you can continue seeing clients and pet patients while reducing your exposure to COVID-19.

In addition, Telemedicine:

• Decreases costs and increases throughput• Facilitates a better client experience• Improves outcomes• Provides new revenue opportunities• Prevents client leakage

Telemedicine versus free tools

Though regulations are relaxed due to COVID-19, tools like Skype, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts are not designed to provide Telemedicine and are not long term, scalable solutions. Most importantly, free conferencing tools are unlikely to be HIPAA-compliant and generally lack security and encryption.

Essential Telemedicine features for a better client-provider experience:

• HIPAA-Compliant Video Conferencing• Virtual Waiting Room• Whiteboarding• Screensharing• Secure Messaging• Calendar Scheduling• Billing• eSignature

For more information on Demandforce Telemedicine, click here.

3COVID-19: How to prepare your animal clinic today for emerging stronger post-pandemic

Offer clients Curbside Pickup

Curbside Pickup is a safe and contact-free method for clients to pick up purchases without leaving their car. For example, animal care products and medications can be made readily available. Give clients the option of curbside pickup or having products shipped directly to their home.

Stay top of mind with clientsRegardless of when your animal clinic will resume back to normal, staying connected to clients via frequent communication is vital. Using tools like email and social media can help keep your animal clinic top of mind through the crisis and beyond.

Email Marketing

Email is an important touchpoint to reach clients. Sending regular updates and words of encouragement through email keeps clients connected and reassured.

Our email builder, Campaign Studio, contains an assortment of email templates that can be customized for your animal clinic, including:

• How-to guides• Promotional emails• Newsletters• Animal health tips• Seasonal emails• COVID-19 content

Social Media

Your clients and social media followers are spending more time online due to stay-at-home orders. Use this as an opportunity to reach them, especially on Facebook and Instagram.

• Create a photo grid of your staff each holding a single word to share an encouraging message • to clients• Use your time at home to share helpful videos and health tips on Instagram and Facebook Live• Share content everyday with your followers. Stay top of mind so they will think of you when stay-

at-home orders are lifted

Tip: Use your PRM software to send an email or text message when a client’s products are ready for pickup. Once they’ve parked in a designated area, simply load the products in their trunk and send them on their way!

4COVID-19: How to prepare your animal clinic today for emerging stronger post-pandemic

Prepare today for the moment you can reopen your doorsUse this time to invest in tools that will help you restore operations smoothly despite the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. Below are some proactive ways to prepare for and jumpstart your reopening.

Develop targeted email marketing campaigns in advance

Don’t wait until you’re back in the office to start creating your “We’re Now Open” campaigns. Start creating email campaigns right now to send to clients when you reopen.

Tips for a successful reopening campaign include:

Target clients using criteria like:

• Clients whose appointments were canceled due to COVID-19• Clients overdue for certain treatments and services• Clients who have recurring appointments

Allow clients to request appointments from your email campaigns

• Include a “Book Appointment” button in all emails• Create a “Join Our Waitlist” campaign

Start an Appointment Waiting List

With Virtual Waiting List from Demandforce, you can begin generating appointment requests NOW, even without a firm reopening date.

Our new Waiting List feature allows you to:

• Create and send a “Join Our Waitlist” campaign using our templates or your own• Compile a list of clients interested in the next available appointment• Contact clients quickly who added themselves to your waitlist

Implement a Mobile Check-In process

Maintain social distancing protocols by allowing clients to check in for appointments using their mobile phones. This helps keep clients and staff safe by reducing the amount of time clients spend in your waiting room.

With a Mobile Check-In procedure in place:

• Clients arrive for their appointment and check in from the safety of their car• All required forms, including COVID-19 screening forms, can be completed from their • mobile device• Text messages can be sent when it’s time for the client to come inside for their appointment

5COVID-19: How to prepare your animal clinic today for emerging stronger post-pandemic

Optimize your Online Reputation

Now’s a great time to focus your efforts on building your online reputation. A few simple steps can help you build a scalable, automated program for requesting, collecting and publishing reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, Yelp, and more.

• Make sure all of your listings have updated hours and closure information related to COVID-19• Remove any inaccurate information across all listings• Reach out and request reviews from loyal clients• Be sure to respond to all reviews in a timely manner to help your animal clinic build trust

Update Appointment Reminders with COVID-19 procedures and updates

Before you’re ready to take appointments again, you can add pertinent information related to COVID-19 to your appointment reminders.

Examples of COVID-19 updates include:

• Modified check-in procedures• New COVID-19 screening forms• Temperature scans at the front door• Reduced hours to limit client contact

Receive and respond to client notifications remotely

With Demandforce Live, you can access, receive and respond to client notifications instantly and all in one place - your desktop!

Whether you’re at the office or a remote location, our new desktop app allows you to:

• View appointments• Respond to texts• Confirm appointment requests

COVID-19 restrictions have led to increased usage of technology like telemedicine and client communication applications. By adopting these technologies, your animal clinic can accommodate new client expectations and be better prepared for the days ahead.

For more information on COVID-19 solutions from Demandforce, visit https://go.demandforce.com/home/COVID-19.

About Demandforce

Demandforce helps animal clinics automate front office tasks and streamline client communications with an all-in-one solution. From automated email marketing to robust reputation management, only Demandforce uniquely combines all the features and functionality an animal clinic needs to grow, in one place.

For more information, or to see a demo, visit www.demandforce.com.